Skull & Bones, the pirate-themed title by Ubisoft set to be finally released in just a couple of days. However, lately, the title has been making headlines after criticism from many users about the price tag being considered too high. This criticism has not been well-received by Ubisoft’s CEO, who defends the price by calling Skull & Bones a AAAA game.
Skull & Bones will be released on February 16, 2024, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Ubisoft Connect and Epic Games Store).
Skull & Bones: What Defines It as AAAA
With a development cost of well over 120 million dollars and a development period spanning over 7 years, Ubisoft has decided to give the game a rather significant price tag. The criticized price reaches up to €80 for the Standard edition on consoles and up to €110 for the “complete” experience in Europe. In response to the criticism, Ubisoft’s CEO, Yves Guillemot, claims that Skull & Bones is a AAAA game and that its quality is so high that it will be played for years.
But what defines it as a AAAA game? The term is certainly not new, nor is it unfamiliar to Ubisoft itself; in fact, the first usage is related to Beyond Good & Evil 2, for the level of care that fans would expect from the title, of which nothing has been heard for quite some years. It is difficult to determine what constitutes a AAAA game and what does not because some mention development costs, which have risen to significant figures over the years, some mention the care, while others refer to those titles that offer both along with unprecedented success.
Skull & Bones Compared to Other AAA Games
With such a bold statement, Skull & Bones is therefore expected to meet the expectations one would have for a truly AAAA game, with a development period of over 7 years and such a high production cost. Including the retail price, which in theory, should reflect this aspect. This could potentially lead to overly harsh criticism and expectations. Starting from late 2023 to early 2024, we have had numerous titles vying for the AAAA status.
First and foremost, there’s Alan Wake 2, the highly anticipated sequel to Alan Wake, which shines particularly for its graphics and intriguing storyline. Baldur’s Gate 3 would also fit thanks to the almost maniacal care of the storyline and role-playing aspects. As well as the recent HELLDIVERS 2 by Arrowhead Game Studios, which with a more affordable price tag of just €39.99 for the base version, is making waves on Steam. In addition to having a slightly lower development cost of about 80 million dollars and a development period of about 8 years compared to Skull & Bones. Not to mention many new titles coming out in 2024 and finally the “danger” that GTA VI would bring in 2025.
Skull & Bones: What Does the Future Hold?
In short, with a release date approaching, Ubisoft’s title certainly has a difficult task in satisfying the many fans awaiting its release. And every criticism will certainly be exacerbated by Ubisoft’s own expectations and statements. As a game fundamentally based on a live service, the launch period will be absolutely critical for the future of the pirate-themed title. Because with a Season Pass, a high price, future paid content necessary to fully enjoy the title, players will certainly not be happy with a reduced and uninteresting experience.
So, we’ll have to wait for the release to determine if Yves Guillemot’s words represent the truth and if Skull & Bones is indeed worthy to be considered a AAAA game, and potentially the first of many to come.
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